Madison times., 1887-09-03
uo SUNDAY IN The WEST.

a.,bl,ny-Houses and Drinking
-bo,, Running Wide Open on the
S.bbatb-sundny in Denver and IN
come of the Mountain Towns.
This is Sunday know it, because
4he Salvation ARMY next door are nam
,ering thoir bass drum. beating the r
.,mboarines, and straining Their v0 ces
for the second time to-day, and Tonight
they will be at it again, and the WIN
dows will be open, and tho fragrance
of their PRAYER and the sweetness of
their music will be waited to the spot
where | am gnashing my teeth and
writing this letter, muttering all kinds
of mean things about the army of the
Lori and the people who give the army
their encouragement But this dem
Onsiration is about the only evidence
which Denver affords of the sacred
character Of the day. OF course, there
are places of worship in Denver, and
some people frequent thcmi but, with
one or two exceptions, the churches arc
cheap excuses for temples of the Lord.
and the congregations they accom- mo-
date are small and indifferent indeed
afterearefully looking over tho Ground.
| am led to believe and 20 declare that
there is no Sunday in Denver. and not
very much of aday of rest anywhere
in Colorado. Fora city that S the me-
trvpolis Of l-producing state
whose mines annually produce over
$40. 900 900. there is the poorest lay out
ot churches here that could be found
in any place OF equal dimensions and
population in the United States. The
Catheiic cathedral, where Bishop Mach
eboeuf (who has been in Colorado since
1884 holds out, is ridiculous little
poke of place. which is overcrowded
vheu four hundred people get between
It's walls. There are many rich Cath. |
olics IN Denver. and they say they give |
the bishop plenty of money, but that /
he sends it to New Mexico to keep up .
tho churches which the poverty-stricken |
greasers have so much use for. The
bishops residence adjoining the cathe-
dral is 4 stateier structure than is the
house of worship, and seems to have
iattoc. Other denominations are eaual-
" cheaply sheltered. and except the
Unity church. which is good enough to
pass in muster, there is not an edifice
worthy the name or dignity of church.
The fact Is that Coloradoans are not
church. goers.
Sunday is very slightly honored any,
where IN the state even in Georgetown.
where the church people" have closed
the saloons, and where the penaIty for
breaking head is Infinitely lighter
than :he punishment for selling a glass
OF beer on SUNDAY. When [ was in
Georgetown the other dav. I was told
that adesparado named Bishop. brother
of fngitiye murderer from these parts.
lad open the skull of an inolfepsjye ci,-
lzen with the stock of his gun last week
and was fined s. for his fun. while n
saioon-keeper who had violated the {
sunday law was fined Slc0 and a gam
pier was mulcted $50. Morality is run
ning very high in Georgetown, and
business is getting cOrrespOndinrly low.
Since the Presbyterian church has un-
dertaken to run the town the population !
Is moving up the canyon to Silver :
RUNE or down TO Lawson and other
points. 80 you see it materially dimin- ,
lsnes lhe population of a Colorado town
10 inject anything like religion into it. {
IN Denver, the church people, ey- '
cry once IN while have Il spasm of re-
actlonary morality and hold a meetino :
IN me Tabor Opcra-house TO discuss the |
ciosng OF the saloons, etc, but they :
savent closed anything vet. and with
the exception of the big establishments i
on Sixteenth street. business runs rafb-
er VIDE open here on the first day of
.ne week Just rs it does on the rest OF \
'ae uays The saloons are open, the
STORES are open. the gamb ng-houses +,
are IN iull blast ut night smelters keep I
tneir hres and furnaces go ng, and men
saehsy to work and return at the usual y
nour, Just rs if there was ne7er 4 word
OF commandment concerning the Lords
aay on the head set OF the Geealogue .
Inc front doors of saloons are thrown :
open and crowds sit or stand in front ::
VI them the whole day and the whole n
5SH' lohg; They are quiet, peaceful,
sSu rather sober crowds, but there is no :,
!. usuay-school ar to them. and when i
.uc ~ oaivation army goes howlinr past :.
,ney yell rats" or tell the "old %,j . :,
With the tambourine' to '.wade in anj y
Set her socks full of salvation THO =
same gang loiter along Laramie and y
ara Fifteenth aud Sixteenth strsets =,
she same rs on week dars :. :.
!, spoke of gambling. Perbans o. o.
sae tolerant. spirit of the neonIe >
Gere IN regard to such vices will be- br.t ~ ~
explained by visit to one of the bniIJs u u
r,ngs at the corner of Sixteenth and u
lawrence streets. for instance. Tbnrc !,
= oank downstairs. Over the hank ~ ~
az are law offices, and across the hall fron W
m Tue law Offices is cloak factory, or -
1ress, making shop, or sometime ~ u u
.has KIND. Passing through the hail :"
wilch runs back to the allev. to a nair q q
oi !. stars that afford exit and en,rtnco ~ ~
rom the rear. and We find back of the -
ls' Jaw othees ''club room" saventr b,,
thirty feet. with large double door
opening upon the hall. These doors
~ are swung back day and nicht. unIrss tr
.ne weather is too cold, and in the CIV. II.
en'ng the light shines ont into tbs h.u >;